The Virginia is mildly sweet with a slight grass note and provides a solid base for the other components. The burley is sweet, and a little nutty and is a major player in the proceedings. A smattering of black cavendish chips in with a bare essence of vanilla. The perique is hardly noticeable, but the light spice I taste comes from there. The Cyprian latakia is also a minor player, but it provides a smokey, woody push that makes this an attractive smoke. The topping is sweet and mildly fruity. This is a very pleasant, tasty aromatic American English that you can smoke all day with ease and no bite, and due to the variety of flavors, never get bored with it. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and needs few relights. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a consistent taste. Has a mild nic-hit, and a pleasant after taste.

Comparing it to the Lane version, I'd say it is virtually identical. The only real difference I noted is that the Match is slightly less sweeter, and has a shade less latakia. I gave three stars to the original, and as this is so close, it gets the same rating. However, as a Match, it is a four star blend.

No one picking this up should expect a flavor bomb. I don't think it was even meant to be one. I don't know about the original Larus mixture. I have never smoked the original, nor do I expect to. But, for a mild, uncomplicated, any time of the day smoke, this one can't be beat!

The perique is there--I get a bit of the tongue tingle. The latakia is there--close to my upper limit for that condiment. The virginias are slightly sweet. The burley adds a bit of a bottom to the blend. I admit to completely missing the cavendish, but I'll bet if it were removed its absence would be noticeable. My son and his wife find the room note pleasant. The Hunnette abhors any smoke (other than a barbeque grilling chicken). All I care about is the flavor.

Holiday Mixture Match fires up immediately. It rarely needs attention after the initial light aside from an ocassional tamp. Depending on how fast I smoke it, it may need one additonal light, but otherwise it burns completely down to a fine gray ash.

As I have stated in other reviews, I am fond of perique. I have considered adding some to this blend, but have resisted that thought. I don't want to change the character of the tobacco. It's just fine the way it is. I have other blends with more perique. When I want that sort of experience, I'll just smoke one of them.

There is a tinned blend called Holiday Excursion--as a matter of fact that is what is pictured above these reviews. Website descriptions I have read claim that it is either burley, virginia, and latakia OR contains exactly the same tobaccos as this bulk blend. I think the tinned blend is from Lane, but I could be wrong. This review is for the bulk Sutliff blend. I've never had the tinned version--it's much more expensive.

I have had the best luck with Holiday Match in Kaywoodie princes, but it is very tasty in cobs as well. Recommended!

Like many others, if I ever tried the original years ago I don't remember doing so. This is a mild 'American' - burley seems to be the major player supported by the Cavenish, but the VA & Latakia are certainly present (I'll take their word on the Perique). Unlike many similar burley/cavendish blends, I get no bite from this blend. The topping is mild. Certainly a good intro blend to the genre so long as the smoker doesn't expect a blockbuster, and the room note is about as pleasant as any blend with Latakia can be. Unsurprisingly, this is a fairly fast-burning blend. Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is probably not.

Have never tasted the original, but I love this blend. Easy, all day smoke. Yet, complex enough to keep me interested. Of the 20+ different tobaccos I have purchased in the last 6 months, this is by far my favorite. This classic mixture delivers a wonderful collection of flavors.

Some of the cubes are quite chunky, they look like small, square, flakes. The pouch gives a scent of added sweetness, something like candy floss/cotton candy, or marshmallow.

The smoke is prominently a VaBur one, the rest of the leaves are miles behind, only giving a wisp of flavour. Just like in the pouch-note I recognise an added flavouring: of the same sweet variety as in the pouch. The burn from it isn't that fast, providing some of the chunkier cubes have been selected, and I get no tongue bite.

This is an American-English aromatic that deserves all the good reviews it has received. I don't remember the original, which I smoked over 30 years ago, but this seems to be close and even better. It's probably due to the quality tobaccos used. The latakia is applied sparingly and the perique is very softly in the background. I enjoyed my small sample immensely and will order more. It is probably the best of the former drugstore blends I have tried and Sutliff has done a masterful job in replicating it. Bravo!

When I read people reviews concerning this blend I can understand stand where they come from good, bad or unsure what they even think, you know what? I get it awhile back ago I purchased this blend for the first time and I really had to think about it when I smoked it because at first I didn't understand it. Very different and it was not gross by far but I did not know what to make of it, especially because I'm way to young to of even had any opportunity to try the original even if I found the stuff it would be dust in the O.G. canister. So the one thing I noticed first was the unusual cut and blend and the odor was very neutral really nothing to it. I got 4oz. of it and I was like "oh boy" and then I smoked it and I was like "huh" this is different. It was a definite burley based blend and then I tasted the Virginia I did not taste the Cavendish but that doesn't mean anything and I kinda tasted the latakia but you know its there and the perique I knew that was there to, the perique is what had me thinking while I smoked it because it gave it a spicy note to it and the topping was just as light. As I kept on smoking I realized the flavors all married together and I thought to myself this is unique and really isn't that bad. A few bowls later I was able to understand the blend and allowed me to appreciate it. Holiday mixture is smooth but is robust and has some weight to it while you smoke it down. It is earthy but slightly sweet and you can taste the latakia but not in a campfire way. The burley and Virginia's are most definitely in harmony and I realize the Cavendish must help balance this all out and keep it smooth but not made to promote a taste of any kind, thats respectable with a master blender because that's a work of art and a skill to do that. The perique is there and gives the blend its spicy zing to it, if the perique was not in there this blend would be very boring and super bland, the topping and perique go hand in hand. The more you smoke this the more things pop out at you and you learn to appreciate, not that its bad at first because its not, there's just alot going on but it takes time to catch it and single it out and then when combined in as a one you get it and the blend takes on its own life that actually really good. I am glad I bought it because it is unique and very enjoyable. This will bite you easy if you smoke it to fast so take it easy and enjoy it because you wanna ponder on it anyway. I think a non aromatic smoker would like this so much better because of its complexity. I disagree with those who say its boring and there's not alot going on because there way off, this is a tricky one to blend and to have a selective tasting as you smoke it down. It does change in its character as you move down the bowl so that's cool and the nicotine level is moderate. It's best with a cup of coffee in the morning because to me and I mean to me its a morning blend but you could smoke it any time of the day or all day if it suits you in that way. As far as trying to break it down and pin what it taste like that would be hard because its not really like its description. I will joke around and say it taste like a sweet tree sap with a hint of table pepper and placed in a smoker with sugar and wood lol!!! Thats how this blend is, trying to put tastes to it would be difficult. I would recommend it because it is very good but most of all a very interesting smoke that keeps me coming back for more as I continue to figure it out. Go for it I don't think you would not like it and good luck to you with this one. One thumbs up!!!

Pipe Used: MM Corn Cobs Kaywoodie

Age When Smoked: 39

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Its not similar to anything at all except its original maker of course (maybe) I wouldnt know....

Holiday, in its original form went the way of Hickory, Edgeworth, Briggs and Union Leader. Long gone, but now only replicated to best of anyone's knowledge. Several years ago, when I lived out West, Holiday Excursion was a frequent purchase. Little did I know that HE was a remake of the old coedger blend. What Sutliff has done is create a remake from the remake. There might be some confusion to which is the original tin design, or what came first. Under Larus&Brothers the label reads Holiday Pipe Mixture: Aromatic in the Pouch-Aromatic in the Pipe. The cruise ship is in side profile with sailboats in front of it. When Lane acquired the H the name changed to Holiday Excursion with the slogan: Aromatic Crowd Pleaser. The cruise ship on that label is in sillouhette and sails toward the viewer. When HE was phased out, Sutliff bought the recipe. The blend is now only available in bulk. Having never tried the original I can only access based on the remake version. Either way a good smoke. A light English that won't offend. I remember HE having a denser, more cocoa element. Here, I really notice the Virginia and Perique. The burleys, not so much. The Latakia is light. All in all a smooth, slightly sweet and light aromatic mixture which is easy on the tongue. Behaves well and doesn't bite. Definitely recommeended, especially for those who advert English types like the plague. It's a keeper and is bound to make some new friends.

Of all the American English blends I've tried I like this one the best.The tobaccos all play very well together and there is just enough flavoring added to get your mouth watering. It is that good. Burns slowly due to the cube cut. Never had the original but Sutliff has a masterpiece here as far as I'm concerned.

I love everything about this blend. The cut takes some getting used to as it is quite large and awkward similar to a rough crushed plug. It can be a pest to get steaming at times but once lit the flavor is very unique and satisfying to me and it seems to last longer than most blends as far as pipefulls are concerned. Pouch aroma reminds me more of an english than an aromatic, if you go by the description on the tin "The Aromatic Crowd Pleaser" aromatic smokers may be fooled. The only added flavourings i detect is that of the condiment tobaccos(perique and latakia) Good consistent taste from top to bottom and can easily be an all day puff as it has not bite whatsoever. I bought this solely for tin art and the good price which does not always pay off. This time I got a winner.

Ah...what to write? Let us begin by getting the worst out of the way. Abraham Lincoln once described a bill passed by Congress as being a soup "made from the ghost of a crow that had had starved to death." One could too-easily judge this blend as being similar. There could be more "there" there.

Having said that, this DOES evoke memories of Holiday when it was made by Lane Ltd. Both have a certain unique, intriguing bitterness. That singular feature was always what set Holiday apart. There is also a faint nuttiness to the Burley, though not nearly the same as when the Burley component was Edgeworth Ready- Rubbed. That version had some nicotine kick to it. This version doesn't.

Yes, one could easily smoke this all day. But would one want to? That decision is left to the individual smoker.

Nothing objectionable here...and nothing exceptional either. This would be a great blend for anyone switching from coffin nails.

I agree with the previous reviewer who said that this is a blend that needs to be smoked slowly; otherwise, all of its good points would slip right by you.

Other than that...very pleasant room note. There is no bite at all. This might just grow on me.

5/4/13 In the lyrics of blues artist Mayme Watts, "Alright, okay, you win..."

I had a long day of driving today, listening to NPR, and puffing on this blend in assorted pipes filled with this mixture. I DOES become more congenial and engaging with each bowlful. Its aforementioned deficiencies are still there...but somehow one soon learns to forgive them and savor this concoction for its own sweet self. Much like a woman or Kipling's cigar.

I have a Chacom Prince that brings out all the flavors of this blend, and it is something to be taken seriously and savored. Burley lovers will be especially gratified. For my own preference, a tad more Latakia would be appreciated. But I ain't complaining.

This blend has been around a long time. It was considered the king of drug store blends and was very popular during the 1940's and 1950's.

I began smoking the original Larus blend in the late 1950's.It was my favorite.

When pipe smoking became less popular larus went out of business and the Pinkerton Tobacco Company produced the blend although with lower quality tobaccos. Pinkerton discontinued production and sold the rights to Lane who finally dropped the blend likely due to poor quality control.

I bought bag of the new Altadis Holiday Mixture Match hoping it would be close to the original larus blend. Altadis nailed this one. The blend is very good and a true match.

This tobacco is to be smoked slowly. The flavor is delicious and the room note is refreshingly pleasant.

If you remember this blend or even if you haven't give it a try. I think you will enjoy it.